Taste the Rainbow

This blog post is an explosion of flavor, color and Pinterestness.  Yup, that's right . . . I'm talking RAINBOW CAKE.  So. Intense.  

I combined a few pins to make a treat for a friend's birthday.  I made the experiment a family activity and it was actually a lot of fun.  

To start, I just used a Pillsbury white cake mix.  Even though I usually use egg whites for white cake, I used whole eggs since we were dying the batter anyway.  I also added a capful (about 1 teaspoon) of almond extract.  That is the secret to amazing white cake.  A little goes a long way!

Once the mix was well, mixed, we divided it into four parts.  We dyed ours red, yellow, green and blue. My kiddo really liked mixing the colors in.

Time to pour into the containers.  I wanted to make a "cupcake in a jar" for my friend, so we poured the batter into two jars: one for my friend and one for the kiddo.   No need to buy new jars, by the way . . . the jar I used was actually a parmesan cheese jar!  Obviously, I washed it out thoroughly and painted the lid (see below).  The kiddo's was a jelly jar.  

We did a few spoonfuls of each color in each jar until it was to the halfway point.

We set the jars on a cookie sheet and popped them in the oven for about 15 minutes.  We had lots of leftover batter so we did some cupcakes, too.

Once the jars were out of the oven and cooled, I had to pull some excess cake off the top to make room for frosting.  Check out this link for an awesome buttercream frosting recipe coupled with a recipe for Sugar Cookie Bars that will change your life.  When I say change your life, I mean that you will eat these bars nonstop and eventually contract Wilford Brimley-style Diabeetus.

Don't forget to add 1/2 a teaspoon of almond extract to the frosting!

Sprinkles make everything better.  Even Diabeetus.

On to the crafty portion of this project . . . 

I painted the lid with Krylon paint in Turquoise.  They have these new cute little cans called Short Cuts.  That way, you can get whatever crazy colors you want without having to get a huge can (that I never finish off).  I then wet embossed the top with a "Happy Birthday" stamp and red embossing glitter.  I never use loose glitter . . . too dang messy!  You get the same effect with embossing glitter but with less mess.

I glitter embossed a chipboard "K" too (the first letter of my friend's name).

Now, to the FAIL portion of this blog . . . 

I froze the cupcakes so I could give some to another friend for her b-day.  I had seen some rainbow frosting on Pinterest and thought I would try it.  (Looking at the pin again, I wonder why in the heck I wanted to do it!)  So, I followed the instructions and . . . the frosting looked gross.  I have a problem when there is so much dye in frosting that it stains your teeth . . . no one wants ROYGBIV teeth.  So, I squeezed all of the frosting out of the bag and back into the bowl of white frosting.  To salvage it, I folded it in, trying to make the color lighter.  As you can see from the picture above, it didn't.  Yuck.  Oh well.  You can't win them all.  

Infinity Scarves for Dummies . . .

 . . . because it takes one to know one.

And I am one.

A dummy, that is.

I bought a lovely drapey shirt only to shrink it before I got to wear it.  D'oh.  The color and the fabric was so lovely I decided to do something with it.  So I made this "infinity scarf."  It took all of 30 seconds to make.

Lay shirt flat.

In a straight line, cut off the hem and the top of the shirt (just below the sleeves).  

Twist the scarf at the seams and pull on over your head.  The seams should lay on the back of your neck (that way you can't see them).  And . . .

Done!  30 second accessory . . . not bad, not bad.

While we're on the subject of making scarves, I have to show off a special treat I got this weekend.  As I've mentioned previously, I had a hysterectomy a week and a half ago.  My friend Lindsey sent me a "care package" filled with cherry Pop Tarts (my fav!), a handmade hat and scarf.  Lindsey has a hurt elbow so she enlisted the help of her uber-talented friend Maggie to finish the hat and scarf.  Maggie then had her entire knitting group help to get the project done.  I was just blown away when Lindsey told me the lengths she and other people took to send me this care package.  I'm so grateful to everyone who helped . . . the package came when I needed a lift and I will treasure the hat and scarf for years to come.

T-Skirt Tutorial: Turn a Men's T-Shirt into a Skirt!

I love t-shirts.  In fact, I'm a little obsessed with them.  At one point, I owned 60+ t-shirts.  When I first saw the idea for a t-shirt skirt, I was excited to say the least.  Besides being cute, they are extremely comfortable!  I wore mine with flip flops in the summer heat and it was so nice.  I think I'll wear it through fall by layering it with leggings.

I researched and read several different methods for making a skirt from a t-shirt and found they were more complicated than they had to be.  By accident, I recently discovered foldover elastic.  This stuff is genius . . . why didn't anyone tell me about it earlier?!  Anyway, I decided to try using it as the waistband for this skirt and it was crazy easy and fast.  Here's what you'll need to make your own:

A t-shirt (preferably a men's size . . . I'm a size 6 and used a size "L" shirt)

1 yard foldover elastic (available through this amazing Etsy shop)

Thread

1. Turn the t-shirt inside out.  Now, if you have a skirt that fits well, get it out now.  I used an old a-line skirt as a template.  I laid it on top of the shirt and drew the shape onto the t-shirt with chalk.

2. Using the chalk outline as a guide, cut the t-shirt.  Be sure to leave about an inch outside the chalk for seam allowance.  Pin the sides of the skirt at the chalk line.

3. Sew the sides of the skirt.  Be sure to try it on to see if it fits well.

4.  Following the line down the middle, fold the elastic over the waist and pin.  When you get to the end, fold the elastic over once and then fold that portion over the starting point.  Pin down, then sew.

Tah-dah!  You're done!  Super easy, fast and cute.  I can't wait to make more!  If you make your own, please post your results!

I'm currently having a giveaway on my Facebook page right now.  Post the word "Alice" to my wall (as many times as you'd like) for a chance to win this "Drink Me" necklace I made:

You have through Monday, August 29th to enter.  The winner will be announced Tuesday, August 30th.  Good luck!

Embellished Scrabble Pendants: Another 5 x 5 Craft

Sorry about the delay in this post . . . I realize my imaginary 'Scrabble Week' ended a week ago (I'm sure all of you have been waiting for the conclusion with bated breath). I got a bad virus and so I've been out of commission. So, here's the finale . . .

When just a Scrabble tile isn't enough, here are some examples of how I "gussied" them up to make them special.

I glued this miniature bird to the top of the tile with E-6000 and glued the bail slightly to the side to give the bird some room. You could also use a pinch bail on a corner, making it hang on the diagonal. I got the bird at Hobby Lobby in the miniatures section; it was in a set of 12, all for $2.50! Can't beat that! They all have flat bottoms because they are meant to be glued to a dollhouse anyway.

Next, you can make your Scrabble tile more interesting by adding a dangly charm to the bottom. Simply make a hole towards the bottom of the tile (I used a paper piercer and some pressure: that's all you need since the wood is so soft).

If your charm doesn't have a jump ring already, add one.

Simply pull the jump ring through the hole and close the ring with small pliers. There you go! A nice personalized tile.

Finally, resin flowers. Be sure you use EXTRA small flowers so they can be glued to the tile without blocking the letter. Use E-6000 to adhere these cute flowers. (I purchased these from EverLuxe and Pretty Lovelies on Etsy)

I just recently got some flexible cane decorations that would be super cute on a Scrabble tile. I can't show you since I made some for some friends and I don't want to spoil it. Here's the listing for a sneak peek. Simply slice with an X-acto knife and glue to your heart's content. There are hundreds of varieties of this cane clay on Etsy and they are very affordable.

Antique Button Jewelry: A 5x5 craft

Last year at HodgePodge (a craft fair where I had a booth), I found a great booth filled with all sorts of antique goodies. My favorite haul I got from the booth was a handful of antique buttons: 4 for $7. I used the green one on a purse but the other three have been sitting in a drawer for months. I'm trying to make the buttons on my purses extra special and none of these buttons really "fit" with any of the purses I've made recently. Then, I got the idea to make jewelry out of them.

Button jewelry is extremely easy and cheap to make, thus qualifying it as a 5 x 5 craft. If you have $5 and 5 minutes, you can make one of these easily! Now, obviously some of these things I already had, such as the E-6000. This project can still be quite affordable if you buy in bulk on Etsy or use coupons. For example, if you have a Hobby Lobby nearby, they have a 40% off coupon every other week. I was able to get 2 bails and a chain necklace for under $3. Also, the buttons don't have to be "antique" . . . there are lots of gorgeous buttons at your local craft store or maybe even at the bottom of your sewing box. You never know!

BUTTON NECKLACE

What you'll need:

Button

E-6000 (or other jewelry adhesive)

pendant bail

necklace chain

toenail clippers

Yes, toenail clippers. Believe it or not, these are a very important tools to have in your stash. I suggest you get a pair just for crafting since they have so many uses. Plus it's kinda gross to use your bathroom clippers on a craft!

Learning moment! These three objects are called "bails." A bail is a loop connected to a larger piece of metal you glue to the back of a piece of jewelry in order to make it a pendant. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. From left to right, I got each one from 1. I Want Supplies on Etsy (50 for $7.50) 2. Michael's (3 for $2-$3) 3. Hobby Lobby (2 for $2.47). Do not confuse glue-on bails with pinch bails, which are meant to be "pinched" through the object, which isn't a great idea with antique buttons.

1. Clip the loop off the back of your button with the clippers. This may take a few snips, but it will come off. Once it's off, use the file on the clippers to wear down any jagged edges left over. It doesn't have to look perfect, it just has to be comfortable to wear.

2. Arg! Out of focus alert! Sorry about that. The next step is to add glue to your bail and simply stick it to the back of the button. I think I was afraid of the glue drying so I just snapped the shot as fast as possible.

3. Allow your button and bail to set. I usually give it at least 24 hours before I touch it. Depending on the shape of your button and bail, laying it flat on a surface to dry might not be the best idea. As you can see with the black button, the loop of the bail is flush with the front of the button. If this is the case, take a clothespin and pinch the button. This way, the button and bail can dry without you having to worry about it falling apart.

And there you have it, finished button necklaces!

The hot pink button I got was curved so I thought it was the perfect shape to make a cocktail ring. It's just as easy to make a button ring as it is a necklace.

BUTTON RING

What you'll need:

Button

Ring base (I prefer adjustable, personally. I ordered mine from this shop on Etsy; 2 for $2.50)

E-6000 or other jewelry adhesive

toenail clippers

1. See step one for the necklaces.

2. Add a dab of glue to the ring base. Carefully place the button on top. Turn upside down and allow to dry button side down.

Ta-dah! 24 hours later you have a fabulous new ring!

Questions? Comments? Feel free to comment on this post or convo me through my shop. Happy crafting! : )

Curioser and Curioser

Sorry it's been awhile. I'm up to my ears in projects. In celebration of the LDS Temple in Atlanta being rededicated, the youth are performing for the leader of our church, President Monson. I've been asked to be a dance coordinator which entails teaching teenagers choreographed numbers . . . not the easiest task but it should be fun. So I'll be doing that for two months. Then, I'm trying to finish a screenplay for the Nicholl Fellowship Competition. The deadline is May 2nd. Did I mention I'm also trying to potty-train my toddler? Or that my husband is on a three week business trip? Have I squeezed any sympathy from you yet?

ANYWAY, I had to share a project I tried the other week. I got it from The Felt Mouse blog and it was really easy and neat. It's a tutorial for an Eyeglass Brooch. As Jennifer points out, all old eyeglasses should be donated to the Lions Club or other organizations that collect used glasses for those in need. I got my lens from an old pair of my mom's reading glasses . . . she buys a pair, loses them, then buys another pair. This happens about every other week so she has lots and lots of glasses! If you don't have any old ones laying around, plenty of stores carry reading glasses for cheap (some even for $1!).

I followed Jennifer's directions, only I used E-6000 as my adhesive instead of Diamond Glaze. From the look of it, I think E-6000 is much easier to use. It's a gel and so it doesn't run. I just squirted a generous amount on the inside of the lens and evened it out with a foam brush. I did have a few air bubbles but I still like it. I used an illustration from a copy of "Alice in Wonderland" and I love how it turned out. Instead of painting the back of the brooch like Jennifer, I coated the back with matte ModgePodge (one of my favorite things in the entire world! LOVE that stuff!) so the text of the page showed.

I still felt the brooch looked unfinished so I glued a blue ribbon around the edge and tied a bunny charm to the top. It still looked a little off so I glued a ruffle as well. It's a little more fussy than I intended but I think it all works.

Going along with the Alice-themed post, I've got to brag on my "Alice in Wonderland" book purse. Yeah, yeah it's cute and all but what I'm really proud about is the button closure. It's ELASTIC! I finally made a button closure I can be proud of! I usually use ribbon but it's kind of a hassle to get on and off. I didn't want to use just plain elastic because it's not cute and it could get caught and tear. So I made a little tube of fabric to protect the elastic and frankly, it's just cute because it matches with the rest of the bag. YAY! Every bag with a button closure will now have a fantastic elastic loop. I'm in the process of "updating" my current bags so they all have elastic loops, too. I'm just so happy my bags are functional as well as cute. That's very important to me.